Machine for repairing knitted fabrics



Aug. 11, 1931. A. c. PARLINI MACHINE FOR REPAIRING KNITTED FABRICS 1/ Fil April 3, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I! III Swvwwlm A/exa/m er C'- b r/m1 21% w 1 M kw.

Aug. 11, 1931.

A. C. PARLINI MACHINE FOR REPAIRING KNITTED FABRICS Filed April 3, 1929 3 Sheets-She 2 A. C. PARLINI MACHINE FOR REPAIRING KNITTED FABRICS Filed April 3, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Aug. 11, 1931 *UNITED STATES PATENT 9mm ALEXANDER c. PAKLINI, wo onslna. Y K. A' sI R To GoTHAM xni'rnao s Macrame ooaroaarion, or Y R i AG R BArIQN r n nAwaaE MACHINE. Fen. RErAiRI o KNITTED FABRICS Application filerl April 3, 1-929. Serial No. 352,186.

7 This invention relates in general to apparatus for repairing runs, and the like, in knitted-fabrics, of which the silk stocking is an example. r r

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of improved apparatus for carrying out the repairing operation ina rapid and efficient manner.

A further objectof this invention is the provision of a feeding head which feeds the fabric to the knitting needle in a smooth, steady and uniform movement.

A-still further object of this invention is the provision of a machine of this nature and for these purposes which is relatively simple in construction and yet rugged and dependable in actual use. I

A further object of this invention involves the construction of the feeding head for the device employing improved features of construction with regard to the feed, r;atchet and pawlsr p g A further object of this invention involves improvements ina feeding head of this type in which the feeding ratchet may be adjusted with respect to the needle and the teeth on the spacer wheels so that the fabric being repaired will be presented to the knitting needle in the proper timed relation to secure a uniform result. I I

A still further object of this invention contemplates a machine of this nature in which feeding heads having spacer wheels with different numbers of teeth may be interchangeably mounted in the machine Without requiring any adjustment of the machine with respect to timing. p

These and other objects as will appear from the following disclosure are secured by means of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be more fully disclosed hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to'the drawings Figure 1 is a side'elevational View of the complete machine with a portion of the main standard broken away to shOW the interior m c a s the teeth on the spacer wheehand V Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1 looking in the direc tion of the arrows; Q f

, Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectionalvieW'o-f the arm and feeding head taken onthe line 33 of-Fig. 5 looking in thedi rectionof th e arrows; r r I Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing in detail a modified form of construction; I A i 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through the center of the feeding head showing it connected to the operating lever with the pivotal support of the lever on, the supporting arm in cross-section;

Fig. v6 's a cross-sectional view, through the feeding head on the line v 6,6 of Fig.5;

Fig, is a detailedcross-sectiqn' showing the ad usting mechanism for setting the position of the. feed ratchet with respect to Fig; 8 is anenlarged perspective viewof the pawl used in the modified form of, the

device in Fig. 4.

The device of this invention the general combination of elements set-forth in the .copending applicationof William Leavin and Samuel B. Leavin, filed January 23, 1928,, Serial No. 248,806, p,at--

ented April 9, 1929, Patent-No. 1,708,675. The device represents a machine for. repairing'runs in woven and knitted fabrics such as silk stockings, for I example. I v In general, thedevice involves a feeding mechanism by means of which the .cmssthreadS of the run are held in spaced relationand fed step by step to a needle whichloops each cross thread through the succeeding cr oss thread so as to repair the run-in a .inanne to make the line of repairinvisible; The particnil-er object of this invention lSfCO PIOVldB an improved feeding mechanism of a rugged and accurate construction which will stand up under: the normal usage of the Other objects involve the construction means of which the feeder heads may be interchangeable so that spacer wheels having a different number of teeth for operating fabrics of different gauges may be readily interchanged to adapt the machine for repairing runs in the usual types of fabrics encountered. The feeding head is also constructed so that the relationship of the feeding ratchet wheelwith respect to the spacer Wheels and the needle may be adjusted so that the parts operate in the correct timed rela tion to present the cross threads in the run to the needle at the correct time.

A better understanding of the purpose of this invention and the construction of the de vice by means of which they are secured Wlll be had by detailed reference to the drawings.

The device is shown comprising a baseplate 1 having the integral vertical hollow standard 2 provided with the hollow pro ecting, substantially parallel arms 3 and J ournalled transversely of the standard 2 1S a rotatable shaft 4 which may be driven by a small electric motor, for example. Keyed to this shaft 4 are two cams, one of which is indicated at 5. These cams actuate the levers 6 and 7 cam actuating lever 6. The other cam which actuates lever 7 is in back of the cam 5 and is not apparent in the drawings. Pivotally connected to the lever 6 is a lever 8 which, in turn, is pivotally supported at 9 on the arm 4. The other end of lever 8 is p votally secured to the vertically slidable SPID- dle 10 in which the repair needle 11 1s secured. The repair needle has a hooked end and is provided with a latch as is clearly disclosed in the above mentioned copending application. Another lever 12 is plvotally secured to the lower end of the lever 7 and, in turn, is mounted to oscillate in the hollow arm 3 on the pivot screws 13. A spring pressed vertically slidable rod 14 is also mounted in the end of the hollow arm 4 and has secured to it a rotatable roller 15 and a ring finger 16. The rollerserves to hold Elie fabric against the feeding head to cause it to firmly engage therewith and the spring 'finger'lfi in alignment with the path of movement ofthe needle 11 serves to hold the fabric firmly in place at the point of repair so that the cross threads of the run are held 111 proper spaced relation in the teeth of the feeder wheels. The feeder head 1s mounted in journals in the end 17 of the hollow arm 3 and encased in protecting covers 17.

The pivotal supports for the levers 8 and 12 are clearly shown in Fig. 5. The partlcular support there disclosed is for the lever 12 which is provided with a hole therethrough having conical portions extending in from each side. Threadedly mounted in the walls of the hollow arm 3 are the hollow plugs 18 which have conical ends to seat in the conical ortions of the central passage of arm 12. Short screws 13 screw into the plugs 18 and bind them or look them in adjusted position on the arm 3. The end 19 of the lever 12 is slotted in both directions, as is clear from Figs. 5 and 3. The vertical slot receives the connecting link 22 which is riveted in a slot in the ring 21. An adjusting screw is provided in the end 19 of the lever 12 so that the width of the slot which receives the pin 23 secured to link 22 may be adjusted for correct operation and to take up any wear that ocours. The ring 21 lies within recesses formed in the spacer wheels 27, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The peripheries of these spacer wheels are provided with a number of teeth as shown at 28. Mounted in slots in the ring 21 on pins 24 are the pawls 25 which are urged inwardly radially of the ring by means of spring 26. Mounted between the spacer wheel-s 27 is a ratchet wheel 29 having teeth around its entire periphery, which teeth are engaged by means of the spring pressed pawls 25. Encasing the spacer wheels 27, the ring 21, and the ratchet wheel 29 are the feeder wheels 30 which are recessed to receive them. The peripheries of the spacer wheels are roughened as by knurling, for example. The feeder wheels, the spacer wheels, the ring, and the ratchet wheel are all united by means of screws 31 which pass therethrough and bind them into a unitary structure. clear from Fig. 5 the teeth of the spacer wheels project a short distance beyond the periphery of the feeder Wheels. This unit is mounted upon a hollow spindle 32 which is adapted to seat in the ends 17 of the arm 3 and to be held in place by means of screws. Mounted in the outside recess of one of the feeder wheels 30 is a disk 34 which is cut away along a chord several points to form spaces, in which the rollers 36 are mounted and which are pressed by means of springs 35 lying between them and stops. This disk 34 with the spring pressed rollers 36 cooperating with the inner surface of the recess on the feeder wheel 30 provides a clutch which permits of the drive of the feeding head unit in one direction,but prevents its movement in a reverse direction. The disk 34 is held in a fixed position by means of the screw which fits in the slot 41 (Fig. 3) in one of the arms 17 at the end of the hollow arm 3.

The apparatus for adjusting the ratchet wheel 29 with respect to the spacer teeth 28 on the spacer wheels 27 is shown in Fig. 7. A

small plug 37 slotted at the ends receives a screw-driver, and provided with a flange is seated in one of the spacer wheels 27 and is provided with a small eccentric crank 38 which fits in an opening 39 in the ratchet wheel 29. In this connection it is pointed out that the holes in the ratchet wheel 29 through which the screws 31 pass are larger than these screws to permit of movement of the ratchet wheel with respect thereto.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 4 and 8 the ring 21 is much thinner transversely than the ring 21 in the construction shown in Fig. 5, and in order to have the engaging end 25 of the pawl 25 of the same width as the ratchet wheel 29 the ring 21* As is..

in Fig. 5by using a relatively thick ring 21 a pawl 25 substantially as wide as the thickness of the ratchet wheel 29 may be employed- In some forms of the machine, however, where it is desired to have the ring 21 thinner without reducing the thickness of the ratchet wheel 29 the construction shown in Figs. 4

and 8 is employed in which the body 'of the I pawl25 is thinner than the end, and the ring is recessed to permit movement of the enlarged end 25 of-the pawl. V

The operation of this device will now be given. In the completed machine it will be remembered that the feeder head unit is provided with casing plates 17 on each side thereof which are held in place by means of screws which extend into the threaded ends of the hollow spindle 32. This completely encloses all the parts of the head serving to keep out dirt, to prevent tampering with the mechanism, and to improve the appearance of the machine. The plates are out away, as is clearly shown in Figure 1, along the upper portion of their periphery so as to expose the teeth 28 of the spacer wheels 27. When shaft 4 is rotated spindle 10 and its support ed needle 11 oscillates in a vertical path, the lower end of the needle descending between the teeth of the spacer wheels in the space provided therebetween. In starting to repair a run, remembering that the run starts at one point and extends down the-fabric to the end of the run, the threads extending transversely of the run at the end thereof are placed between the teeth of the spacer wheel, one thread in the base of each tooth. As shaft 4 rotates the needle oscillates vertically, as described. At the same time through the oscillation of lever 12 the pawls engaging with the ratchet wheel 29 cause it to rotate the space of one half tooth for each oscillation. The reason for the movement of the ratchet wheel 29 a half tooth for each oscil lation of the lever 12 is secured by virtue of the fact that in this construction two pawls are employed. 7 The upper pawl 25 of Fig. 3 lies at the base of the tooth, while the lower pawl 25 only descends half way to the base of its tooth. The parts are so proportioned that the end 19 oflever 12 oscillates a sufli-,

cient distance to advance the ratchet wheel the space of one tooth. It will, of course, be apparent thatthe ring 21 oscillates about the center of. the spindle 32 and within the re cess'formed by the spacer wheel 27. "With the parts in the position shown in Fig. '3 the first counter-clockwise oscillation of ring 21 causes the counterclockwise movement of ratchet wheel 29 through the agency of pawl 25. Upon a reverse oscillationof ring 21 pawl 25 moves in a clockwise direction to fall at the base of the tooth in which it is in contact with in the position of the part shown in Fig. '3. At the same time the upper pawl 25 moves halfway up the tooth with which it is in contact. vThe movementof ratchet wheel 29 causes the spacer wheels 27 and the feeder wheels 30 to move therewith the same distance. The fabric which is held in engagement with the feeder wheels by means of the I roller 15 and spring fingers 16 moves therewith so as to present the cross threads held in the spacer teeth one at a time to the Vertically' oscillating needle which descends be tweenthe cross threads in succession, In the clockwise movement of the ring, as it returns to set the pawls for the next forward movement, the rollers 36 of the clutch descend so as to engage theinner surface of the feeder wheel 30 under the action of spring so as to lock the feed rolls in the spacer wheels against clockwise movement. It is to be remember-ed that the disk 34 is held against movement by the engagement of screw 40 with the slot 41 in the arm 3. It may be pointed out here that the interior diameter of ring 21 is ust a trifle larger than the overall diameter of the ratchet wheel 29 so that the circular surface formed by the ratchet wheel teeth provides a bearing surface for the ring 21. The clutch above spoken of is employed to prevent any tendency of clockwise movement of the feeder wheels and feeder disks, because of any friction which the ring 21 exerts thereon, as well as on the ratchet wheel 29. By means of this construction the fabric is fed in a uniform, steady motion, step by step to the needleand the cross threads looped through each other as described inconsiderable detailin the above ,4

mentioned copending application. By means of this construction heads for operation on different gauges of fabric may be interthen be removed from the arm 17 since the pin 23 may slide out of the slot in the end 19 of lever 12.

In order that the machine may operate properly and repair the run with even stitches or inter-weavings, it is necessary that the teeth on the feeder wheels and, hence, the

transfer threads of theirun lying therebe-.

ratchet wheel circumferentially withrespect to the teeth'28 and, hence, the needle 11. This changed without any other adjustment. To I effect this change the screws which hold the, cover'p'lates 17 in place are removed, and spindle 32 withdrawn. The feeder head may is done by slightly loosening the screws 31 and turning the plug 37 so that the crank 38 may rotate the ratchet wheel 29 circumferentially in the ri ht direction to secure the correct setting. crews 31 are then tightened and the head is ready for use.

The advantages of this construction will, at once, be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is pointed out that the feeder head as so constructed is substantially entirely enclosed so that the parts are protected and dirt and lint are excluded from the operating parts thereof so that the device is very rugged. Another feature of construction which adds to its ruggedness is the width of the ratchet Wheel 29 and the operating pawls 25. WVith this construction they may be so proportioned, that after considerable use the wear is negligible and the parts are moved in a positive and uniform manner. Where it is desirable or necessary to use a thinner ring 21 as pointed out above, the construction in Figs. 4 and 8 may be employed.

I am, of course, well. aware that many changes in the details of construction and relative arrangement of parts will readily ocour to those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of construction and operation of" this invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given for illustrative purposes, but rather to the spirit and scope of the invention as it has been defined in the appended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the type described the combination comprising a support, a feeding head rotatablymounted on said support a vertically movable needle mounted on said supportin operative relation with respect to said feeding head, means for actuating said needle and rotating said feeding head in one direction, and means carried by the feeding head for engaging said feeding head to pre vent any movement in the reverse direction.

2. In an apparatus of the type described the combination comprising a support, a feeding head rotatably mounted on said support, a vertically movable needle mounted on said support in operative relation with respect to said feeding head, means for actuating said needle and rotating said feeding head in one direction, and a clutch including a member secured to said support and resiliently pressed members carried by the feeding head for engaging said feeding head to per mit its movement in one direction by said actuating means and to prevent any movement in the opposite direction. a

3. In an apparatus of the type described the combination comprising a support, a feeding head rotatably mounted on said support, a vertically movable needle mounted on said support in operative relation with respect to said feeding head, means for actuating said needle and rotating said feeding head in one direction, and a roller clutch on the feeder head for engaging the said head to prevent backward movement thereof.

4. In a fabric repairing machine as set forth, the combination comprising a supporting frame, an oscillatable needle mounted therein, a rotatable feeding unit on said frame comprising a pair of separated spacer wheels having toothed peripheries, a ratchet wheel mounted bet-ween said spacer wheels, a ring member encircling said ratchet wheel and lying in recesses in the adjacent faces of said spaced wheels, pawls pivotally supported on said ring and engaging the teeth on the ratchet wheel, feeding wheels adjacent the spacer Wheels, and means on said frame connected to said needle and ring member for oscillating them, movement of the ring member in one direction causing the spacer wheels to move therewith and return movement of the ring member causing no movement of the spacer wheels therewith.

5. In a fabric repairing machine as set forth, the combinationcomprising a supporting frame, an oscillatable needle mounted therein, a rotatable feeding unit on said frame comprising a pair of separated spacer wheels having toothed peripheries, a ratchet wheel mounted between said spacer wheels, a ring member encircling said ratchet wheel and lying in receses in the adjacent faces of said spacer wheels, pawls pivotally supported on said ring and engaging the teeth on the ratchet wheel, feeding wheels adjacent the spacer wheels, means on said frame connected to said needle and ring member for oscillating them, movement of the ring member in one direction causing the spacer wheels to move therewith and return movement of the ring member causing no movement of the spacer wheels therewith, and means engaging with the feeding head to insure no return movement of the spacer wheels.

6. In a fabric repairing machine as set forth, the combination comprising a support ing frame, an oscillatable needle mounted therein, a rotatable feeding unit on said frame comprising a pair of separated spacer wheels having toothed peripheries, a ratchet wheel mounted between said spacer wheels, a ring member encircling said ratchet wheel and lying in recesses in the adjacent faces of said spacer wheels, pawls pivotaly supported on said ring and engaging the teeth on the ratchet wheel, feeding wheels adjacent the spacer wheels, means on said frame connected to said needle and ring member in one direction causing the spacer wheels to move there- 7 with and return movement of the ring member causing no movement of the spacer wheels therewith, and means for adjusting the ratchet wheel circumferentially with respect to the spacer; wheels.

7. In a fabric repairing machine as set forth, the combination comprising a support ing frame, an oscillatable needle mounted therein, a rotatable feeding unit on said frame comprising a pair of separated spacer wheels having toothed peripheries, a ratchet wheel mounted between said spacer wheels, a ring member encircling said ratchet wheel and lying in recesses in the adjacent faces of said spacer wheels, pawls pivotally supported on said ring and engaging the teeth on the ratchet wheel, feeding wheels adjacent the spacer wheels, means on said frame connected to said needle and ring member for oscillating them, movement of the ring member for oscillating them, movement of the ring member in one direction causing the spacer wheels to move therewith and return movement of the ring member causing no movement of the spacer wheels therewith, means for adjusting the ratchet wheel circumferentially with respect to the spacer wheels, and means for insuring against return movement of the feeding head. i

8. A feeding head unit for a machine of the type described comprising two spacer wheels having toothed peripheries, a ratchet wheel lying between the spacer wheels, a ring member encircling the ratchet wheel and lying in rcesses 0n the adjacent faces of the spacer wheels, spring pressed pawls'pivotally supported on said ring member and engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a feeding wheel on the outside of each spacer wheel, means for binding all of said elements into a unit and means for circumferentially adjusting the ratchet wheel with respect to the spacer wheels.

9. A feeding head unit for a machine of the type described comprising two spacer wheels having toothed peripheries, a ratchet wheel lying between the spacer wheels, a ring member encircling the ratchet wheel and lying in recesses on the adjacent faces of the spacer wheels, spring pressed pawls pivotally supported on said ring member and engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a feeding wheel on the ouside of each spacer wheel, means for binding all of said elements into a unit, and a cam member rotatably seated in one of the feeding wheels and spacer wheels and engaging an opening in the ratchet wheel for circumferentially adjusting the ratchet wheel with respect to the spacer wheels.

In testimony whereof-I have hereunto set my hand on this 30th day of March A. D.,

' ALEXANDER C. PARLINI. 

